Mazda Reveals Details of 2007 CX Crossover SUV

Mazda Canada Inc. today announced details of its much-anticipated upcoming 2007 Mazda CX-7 crossover sport-utility vehicle (SUV). The Company also confirmed that the car will make its public debut at the upcoming Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January 2006, and the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto in February 2006.

The all-new Mazda CX-7 is the first of three Mazda vehicles that are being designed and engineered specifically for the North American market.

Mazda’s new five-seat CX-7 is a refreshing departure from the fleet of traditional SUV’s currently plying North American roads.

Produced on entirely Mazda-derived platform architecture, Mazda CX-7 embodies an astute blend of sports car verve and SUV practicality, resulting in a fun-to-drive SUV with Mazda’s trademark “Soul of a Sportscar”. It is a vehicle that brings together performance and design like never before. The Mazda CX-7 is just right for adventurous couples driven by the urge for discovery.

“The North American market continues to play a pivotal role in Mazda Motor Corporation’s global future,” said Mike Benchimol, President of Mazda Canada Inc. “Vehicles such as CX-7 and others in the pipeline, designed and engineered specifically for the North American market, will make Mazda an important and influential force in the industry. This vehicle represents everything a Mazda SUV should be: powerful, great styling, detailed craftsmanship and fun to drive. Mazda at its finest”.

The distinctive exterior design of the Mazda CX-7 is an extension of the sports car motif from the 2005 MX-Crossport concept and the RX-01 concept introduced in 1995, and carries over much of the strong styling emotion brought on by Mazda’s current RX-8 sports car as well. Prominent front fenders, A-pillars rooted at the body’s leading edge, and Mazda’s signature five-pointed grille clearly register this new model as a Mazda.

The eighteen-inch aluminum wheels and tires proclaim Mazda CX-7’s Zoom-Zoom intentions and immediately signal that this is a vehicle built
for drivers.

An interior design, also previewed by the MX-Crossport concept, fulfills every car enthusiast’s innate desire to jump in and drive. The three-dial instrument cluster, sports car inspired high-mounted shifter, and form-fitting front bucket seats are configured for spirited motoring. The instrument panel consists of a unique ‘double-roof’ structure, in which a small ‘roof’ over the meter cluster is positioned just in front of a large ‘roof’ that extends across the entire instrument panel. The 60-40 split rear seat accommodates three people in comfort and quickly converts to an extension of the 847.7 L cargo hold, bringing capacity up to 1,658.3 L. The metre-long rear compartment (seats up) offers more stowage space than some larger SUVs.

Matching the sporty appearance is Mazda CX-7’s powerful and dynamic performance.

Mazda CX-7 is powered by a turbocharged and intercooled 2.3-liter four-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engine that produces a hearty 244 horsepower at 5,000 rpm. While key powertrain features are shared with the recently launched MAZDASPEED6, the Mazda CX-7 is exclusively tuned to deliver 258 lb-ft of torque at a remarkably low 2,000 rpm for healthy throttle response. With Mazda’s six-speed Sport AT transmission and at least 99-percent of the maximum torque available all the way to 5,000 rpm where peak horsepower is delivered, Mazda CX-7 performs as if there’s an engine twice the size under the hood.

Furthermore, the Mazda CX-7 is estimated to deliver over 10.2L/100km in combined driving.

A sturdy unitized body structure, fully independent suspension, and
four-wheel ventilated disc brakes with standard four-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and Traction Control System (TCS), underlie Mazda CX-7’s athletic road manners. Customers may select the driveline best suited to their needs: Front-Wheel Drive or
Mazda’s Active Torque-Split All-Wheel Drive. With Active Torque-Split All-Wheel Drive, a computer controlled coupling feeds up to 50-percent of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels for exceptional handling whether the driving conditions are dry and fast or slippery and paced.

Mazda CX-7 arrives in the spring of 2006 as a 2007 model.